You remind us of General MacArthur!!

DOUGLAS MACARTHUR was an American five-star general who led the war against Japan in the Second World War which ended with the nuclear bombing of two Japanese port cities – Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

After the bombing of these two cities, Japan’s Emperor Michinomiya Hirohito surrendered unconditionally and accepted all demands made by General MacArthur in the Instrument of Surrender and to end military operations.

I did not write this article to provide esteemed readers with lessons in modern history and events during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945. I wrote it because one of the members of the ‘troubled’ Parliament reminded me through his recent statements and intimidation directed at the government and the National Assembly Speaker.

It seems this member assumed the personality of General MacArthur as he imagined, for objectives best known to him or the one who motivated him to utter such statements and intimidation’s which are unprecedented and irrational.

Unfortunately, this is manifested in one of the local newspapers which dedicated its front page for this MacArthur’s intimidating statements. The reason is incomprehensible and unpalatable.

The roaring MP said in a press conference last week that the MPs cannot adhere to calm politics as long as the government fails to honor all its promises which were agreed upon – maintaining the parliamentary membership of his colleagues who have been convicted of a criminal offense and that the Constitutional Court has no authority over the Parliament.

The ‘lion’ also demanded for reinstatement of all withdrawn citizenship’s, abiding by the annual naturalization quota of 4,000 as per the law, and pardoning the two colleagues who were convicted of storming the Parliament building.

He stressed that delaying, stalling or buying time is unacceptable; and he refuses to wait for the parliamentary tenure to end. He called on Speaker Al-Ghanim and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak to put his statements in mind.

The outspoken MP also decided not to exempt Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanim from responsibilities of not honoring past agreements with the government; because he is in charge of the house and he is its custodian, and he holds meetings in his house, in and outside his diwaniya and his office. Bravo, MacArthur of Gulf Street who scared us, the entire government, and Speaker of Parliament, with repeated intimidation’s, most of which contradict the rule of law.

Actually, our fingers are crossed for fear that our government, which is not supposed to surrender in the way Emperor Hirohito surrendered, might do so. Instead, it should give the best response to this MP that we have not seen submitting any positive and practical legislation throughout his Parliament life to rescue us from disorder, corruption and backwardness in various aspects.

His unmatched achievement of establishing the committee known as negative phenomenon is enough.

All we can say to this MP is stick to your line, honor us with your silence and let judiciary rulings, laws and constitutional values take their course. May the late General MacArthur pardon us from his grave for comparing him with that MP, it is comparing Pleiades with dust.

By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli Former Minister of Oil
Email: ali-albaghli@hotmail.com